Uber, however, denied the claim that the payment is determined by how much battery life a phone still has.
The programme, it was further claimed, is unable to gauge a user battery.
According to a story in the Belgian newspaper Derniere Heure, Uber is purportedly boosting the charges for customers if their phones are running on low batteries.
The outlet’s study revealed how the ride-hailing platform adjusted prices for users in Brussels based on their battery level.
Investigation results show that some users asserts they saw different pricing for the identical travel.
It should be emphasised that Uber has disputed any association between price and battery life.
Derniere Heure conducted their investigation by utilising two iPhones, one with an 84% battery and the other with a 12% battery, to summon a cab from their office in Brussels to Tour & Taxi in the city centre.
The result showed significant pricing difference: for the same trip, the smartphones with a 12% battery was paid 17.56 euros (Rs 1,585), while the phone with an 84% battery was charged 16.6 euros (Rs. 1,498).
The dynamic pricing applied to trips booked through Uber is determined by the going demand for rides and the availability of drivers who can meet that demand, “they stated.
According to Vice, Uber has come under fire for allegedly utilising user’s batteries without permission.
Former Uber Head of Economic research Keith Chen said the company had found that passengers with low battery levels were more receptive to surge pricing in a 2016 interview with NPR.
Other “voiced” scepticism about why the company was monitoring battery life at all, “but Mr. Chen disputed that the company was directly that the company was directly raising prices for these users.
